Unplug all major appliances and turn off electric heaters. When power is restored, appliances can draw three to four times the electric current they normally use, which can cause a short-term overload or even another power outage. Food in a freezer will stay frozen up to 36 hours if the door is kept closed. Wrapping the freezer in blankets helps insulate it.

Keep a small lamp plugged in and turned on so you'll know when power is restored. Once your electric service is back on, plug in your appliances first and then turn your air conditioning back on.

The CenterPoint Energy Electrical Customer Outage Tracker displays estimates of current, known outage locations and estimated restoration times for those outage. Click on the link above to see an outage map.